inet had
foreseen this storm; but he had secured the entire fortune of the
Rogrons for Mademoiselle de Chargeboeuf, and he promised himself that in
a few weeks she should be mistress of the Rogron house, and reign with
him over Provins, and even bring about a fusion with the Breauteys and
the aristocrats in the interests of his ambition.

From midday to four o'clock all the ladies of the Tiphaine clique
sent to inquire after Mademoiselle Lorrain. She, poor girl, was wholly
ignorant of the commotion she was causing in the little town. In the
midst of her sufferings she was ineffably happy in recovering her
grandmother and Brigaut, the two objects of her affection. Brigaut's
eyes were constantly full of tears. The old grandmother sat by the bed
and caressed her darling. To the three doctors she told every detail she
had obtained from Pierrette as to her life in the Rogron house. Horace
Bianchon expressed his indignation in vehement language. Shocked at such
barbarity he insisted on all the physicians in the town being called in
to see the case; the consequence was that Dr. Neraud, the friend of the
Rogrons, was present. The report was unanimously signed. It is useless
to give a text of it here. If Moliere's medical terms were barbarous,
those of modern science have the advantage of being so clear that the
explanation of Pierrette's malady, though natural and unfortunately
common, horrified all ears.

At four o'clock, after the usual rising of the court, president Tiphaine
again took his seat, when Madame Lorrain, accompanied by Monsieur
Auffray and Brigaut and a crowd of interested persons, entered the
court-room. Vinet was alone. This contrast struck the minds of those
present. The lawyer, who still wore his robe, turned his cold face to
the judge, settled his spectacles on his pallid green eyes, and then
in a shrill, persistent voice he stated that two strangers had forced
themselves at night into the Rogron domicile and had abducted therefrom
the minor Lorrain. The legal rights were with the guardian, who now
demanded the restoration of his ward.

Monsieur Auffray rose, as surrogate-guardian, and requested to be heard.

"If the judge," he said, "will admit the report, which I hold in my
hand, signed by one of the most famous physicians in Paris, and by all
the physicians in Provins, he will understand not only that the demand
of the Sieur Rogron is senseless, but also that the grandmother of the
minor had grave cau